Mesa Boogie Walkabout Megathread; Part Two

[Chef]

ah...right then.

personally, i agree you would have been silly to sell those; them are gems, looks wise.
we all know how they sound

 

[pfschim]

I tried one today (12' version). I tested it along with the walkabout head and a powerhouse 15'.

I must say that there's almost no difference. Of course that you get a bigger and more bassier sound from the powerhouse 15', but i gotta say that the scout version is pure gold! It really surprised me!

I have a few questions before buying it...

1. Will the 15' version give me the bass that's lacking in the 12' version?
2. Advices on using the scout with another scout extension? Ohms and so...
3. I want to have something different so i'm thinking of using mesa's custom design service. Are there any extra costs? Are they expensive?

1. Will the 15' version give me the bass that's lacking in the 12' version?
Personally I do not find the WA 12 to be lacking any bass at all. In fact, I think that you need to watch it with the Bass control and low end EQ so that it is not TOO bassy. The WA 15 has this issue in larger measure than the WA 12, and it is just larger enough that it makes portability something of an issue. Of course, this is all IME/IMO.

2. Advices on using the scout with another scout extension? Ohms and so...
I use a 4ohm WA 12 with a 4ohm Scout 15 and like the combination very much. I have never had any issues what so ever running the WA with the 2ohm (total) load. I have also used several different 8ohm ext cabs (PH 1x12, Aggie GS112, Accugroove Tri115) with the 4ohm WA 12. I did not find that the 4ohm/8ohm cab mismatch was much of an issue. Ultimately I have kept only the Scout 15 and the Tri115 as ext cabs for my WA 12.

3. I want to have something different so i'm thinking of using mesa's custom design service. Are there any extra costs? Are they expensive?
Yes, there are extra costs for the custom designs. As far as expense, you need to look at the Mesa Boogie web site to see the various options and the costs.

good luck

 

[wateroftyne]

Personally I do not find the WA 12 to be lacking any bass at all. In fact, I think that you need to watch it with the Bass control and low end EQ so that it is not TOO bassy.

+1... I can't imagine ever needing more bass!

 

[bigbajo60]

Take my guitarist's opinion for what it's worth (he's a highly regarded musician both locally and elsewhere...); he says that of all the rigs he's seen and heard me go through, my current WA12 + Radiator Ext. cab is his favorite rig, tonally speaking.

What did he hear me go through before? One rig consisted of an Ampeg SVP-CL, Stewart World 1.6 and two Acme Low B2 II's. The other was a Mesa Boogie 400+ on top of two PowerHouse 212's!!!

Like I said... it's just his opinion (and mine! )!!!

 

[slinkyphil]

1. Will the 15' version give me the bass that's lacking in the 12' version?
Personally I do not find the WA 12 to be lacking any bass at all. In fact, I think that you need to watch it with the Bass control and low end EQ so that it is not TOO bassy. The WA 15 has this issue in larger measure than the WA 12, and it is just larger enough that it makes portability something of an issue. Of course, this is all IME/IMO.

2. Advices on using the scout with another scout extension? Ohms and so...
I use a 4ohm WA 12 with a 4ohm Scout 15 and like the combination very much. I have never had any issues what so ever running the WA with the 2ohm (total) load. I have also used several different 8ohm ext cabs (PH 1x12, Aggie GS112, Accugroove Tri115) with the 4ohm WA 12. I did not find that the 4ohm/8ohm cab mismatch was much of an issue. Ultimately I have kept only the Scout 15 and the Tri115 as ext cabs for my WA 12.

3. I want to have something different so i'm thinking of using mesa's custom design service. Are there any extra costs? Are they expensive?
Yes, there are extra costs for the custom designs. As far as expense, you need to look at the Mesa Boogie web site to see the various options and the costs.

good luck

Thanks for answering!

I think that the 12' is more clear than the 15' powerhouse i tried, but when switched on to another i really felt some lack of punch in some low frequencies. But like i said, the scout is pure gold.

Do you guys know the difference of weight between the 12' and the 15'?

I will try the 15' this week to make my mind clear

 

[slinkyphil]

Their custom finishes are gorgeous and go from plain pricey to ridiculous (for the woods and leathers). Thanks for giving me an excuse to repost the pic

That's just
Pure joy to my eyes

That's all from mesa custom?
What extra costs did you had?

 

[Chef]

This just in: I still love my walkabout.

The 12" is a real combo, and easy to move. I sure never had any lack of low end.
The 15" scout is bigger than a reasonable "combo" ought to be, for me: YMMV>

 

[slinkyphil]

i went to the musicshop to try the 12' version again.
I must say that i didn't felt the lack of bass this time

I tried the 8ohm version and i'm concerned about something. When using it with 1 cab, does he work with 4ohm and with 2 cabs at 8ohm, or is he always working at 8ohm?

 

[Carebear]

As I might be looking into getting a Walkabout soon (see what I did there? Window shopping at its finest!), I'm still debating whether to get the combo or the head.

I need portability, yet a "serious" rig. If I got the combo, I'd definitely get the extension cab to go with it as I want my two speakers and the slight phase difference they present.

So I guess the question is - what would be the difference between a head + 2x12 Powerhouse and a Scout + 1x12 extension?

This is all theory, no experience, but what I suspect..

Combo pros: Beautiful stack, the most portable Mesa solution, will look awesome next to my other matching Mesa combo + extension cab (a big bonus of owning Mesa gear is marvelling at their attention to detail and aesthetics), perfect height for access to tone controls (combo on top of extension cab).

Combo cons: Amp will take a lot of vibrations but this may not be an issue with no power tubes in there, lightweight cab may be flabby, less air volume / speaker makes for a smaller sound, a part of me thinks the Radiator cabs will be toylike, complicated to mic with hidden 8" speakers etc.

Head pros: No vibrations to shake anything loose in there, easy transport to venues that offer in house cabs, Powerhouse 2x12 is probably both bigger sounding and more solid than the radiators, "the visual factor", easy to mic (not that recording bass is easy).

Head cons: 2x12 cab not as portable, the stack would cost more than a Venture 600 combo. And finally but not least.. I simply love the idea of a complete little combo stack, despite how visually uncool it may be for hardrockers like myself.

I guess many of you will say "Hey, the amp is easily removable, so just get the combo and pull out the amp whenever they offer in house cabs!"

 

[tombowlus]

i went to the musicshop to try the 12' version again.
I must say that i didn't felt the lack of bass this time

I tried the 8ohm version and i'm concerned about something. When using it with 1 cab, does he work with 4ohm and with 2 cabs at 8ohm, or is he always working at 8ohm?

It's the other way around. With one cab, the load is 8-ohms, and with two (8-ohm) cabs, the load is 4-ohms. Lower impedance means greater resistance, and is the "harder" load to drive (though for many amps, 4-ohms is the sweet spot, as most solid state amps put out more power when there is more resistance).

Tom.

 

[Chef]

some thoughts inserted below with *****

This is all theory, no experience, but what I suspect..

Combo pros: Beautiful stack, the most portable Mesa solution, will look awesome next to my other matching Mesa combo + extension cab (a big bonus of owning Mesa gear is marvelling at their attention to detail and aesthetics), perfect height for access to tone controls (combo on top of extension cab).

Combo cons: Amp will take a lot of vibrations but this may not be an issue with no power tubes in there***no more so than any other head, sitting on any other cab. I've been using these for many years with no vibrational issues yet*** lightweight cab may be flabby, less air volume / speaker makes for a smaller sound***the radiator cabs actually sound quite big. it's still a small cab, but, compared to anything else it's size, it's tuned deep*** a part of me thinks the Radiator cabs will be toylike***Mesa? Toylike?...More like overbuilt*** complicated to mic with hidden 8" speakers etc***what hidden speaker? The radiator? It's not a speaker, it's a port, done differently. It's sued to tune a small box to sound deeper.

Head pros: No vibrations to shake anything loose in there, easy transport to venues that offer in house cabs, Powerhouse 2x12 is probably both bigger sounding and more solid than the radiators, "the visual factor", easy to mic (not that recording bass is easy).

Head cons: 2x12 cab not as portable, the stack would cost more than a Venture 600 combo. And finally but not least.. I simply love the idea of a complete little combo stack, despite how visually uncool it may be for hardrockers like myself***seems wierd, because you'd think they'd sound the same, but the M-Pulse 600 didn't sound at all like the Walkabout head, to me. Not as tubey, not as phat, not as much treble extension***

I guess many of you will say "Hey, the amp is easily removable, so just get the combo and pull out the amp whenever they offer in house cabs!"*** I was pulling the head so often, I just bought a second one to use with other cabs. I also bought a mesa 115 to put under the Scout12 combo, and it does make a really nice stack.***

 

[bass dan]

waiting on a 15" scout cab to go with my head. is putting casters on it a good idea or does the passive radiator make it a bad idea. gonna match the scout cab with a wizzy m-line 12" 4ohm cab i already have. lookin forward to it.

 

[lomo]

As I might be looking into getting a Walkabout soon (see what I did there? Window shopping at its finest!), I'm still debating whether to get the combo or the head.

So I guess the question is - what would be the difference between a head + 2x12 Powerhouse and a Scout + 1x12 extension?

My take:

Forget issues like vibration, etc-they are of no consequence.
Figure your budget. Decide how much cone area will definitely do it for you. Many love a pair of 12s, but for me it wasn't quite enough volume-adequate but no room to spare. If 2 12s is enough, get the combo with a 12 ext and you're done and in paradise. IMO it's better to get the combo in 8 Ohms, (unless it'll usually be used on its' own) since the difference in volume for the single 12 between 4 and 8 Ohms is rather small. Everybody here at TB says it runs well at 2 Ohms, but unless you're really benefitting from that, why not keep it to 4 or 2.7 methinks? If the pair of 12s is NOT enough, then I'd get the 12 combo, and a larger 4 Ohm cab so they can be used together or individually. What other cab you get is up to you. Esthetically, a 4 Ohm Scout 15 will be beautiful and supply booty to spare (I love mine). Another option would be a 212 to balance power between all 3 drivers when used with the combo at 2.7 Ohms. I've been up and down this road recently (and have enjoyed the trip). In the end I'll use a 112 combo, with a pair of Epi 210s, usually choosing just the head on top of the 210s for gigs.

 

[Carebear]

I'm super confused right now! I'm sure they'll all do just fine, yet I'll have to choose.

The 12" combo would be great for my middy bass lines, and I don't like when things shake too much and the low-end rumble takes over the tone completely. But perhaps I'd benefit more from a 15" setup as I detune to B or even A? I'm just afraid it'd take away from my sacred mids.

Please note that I can order pretty much anything, but I'll have to place a 20% non-refundable deposit before I can even try the darn thing. That's why I'm asking all these anal questions.

This gotto be the 15" version, right?
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Apart from the stunning looks, it looks to have the perfect size to me! Not huge, not small, yet a threatening enough rig to shut up those who diss a combo on stage.

 

[RickenBoogie]

Please be aware that lows, mids, and highs, are not inherently better or worse depending on the size of the driver. Iow, 15's are not "better" at lows, and 10's are not "better" at highs, 12's for mids, etc. The 12" Scout cab is full range, and will supply a fantastic range of tones. 2 12's is double awesome, etc. You may well be overthinking this whole thing. Most Walkabout users like the 12" Scout, because it provides a full range bass tone in a slightly smaller package, compared to the 15" version. I believe the 2 Walkabouts atop the 2 Scout ext cabs are all 12's, too.

 

[62bass]

I'm super confused right now! I'm sure they'll all do just fine, yet I'll have to choose.

The 12" combo would be great for my middy bass lines, and I don't like when things shake too much and the low-end rumble takes over the tone completely. But perhaps I'd benefit more from a 15" setup as I detune to B or even A? I'm just afraid it'd take away from my sacred mids.

Please note that I can order pretty much anything, but I'll have to place a 20% non-refundable deposit before I can even try the darn thing. That's why I'm asking all these anal questions.

This gotto be the 15" version, right?
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Apart from the stunning looks, it looks to have the perfect size to me! Not huge, not small, yet a threatening enough rig to shut up those who diss a combo on stage.

I remember that picture. I believe that is a pair of 12" combos and a pair of 12" extension cabs. That would be plenty for almost everyone.

I used the 12" combo for 4 years of gigs, sometimes with different extension cabs. Sometimes the head alone.

Don't worry about too much lows. They're easy to dial out with the Walkabout's comprehensive eq.

Don't worry about vibration. I never had a problem either.

Only one problem-a bass eq pot got a bit dirty and was cutting in and out. Didn't know what it was when it happened. When I got it home I was able to quickly figure it out and a couple minutes inside with some spray cleaner solved the problem for good. While I was at it I cleaned everything I could.

Mine was one of the older ones with separate inputs for active and passive and the series effects loop.

Other than the wonderful tone and fantastic quality, there's no difference between the Walkabout Scout combo and other combos of equal power and speaker area. The Scout just is miles ahead better, has a bit more headroom and is just plain wonderful to use.

Some guys don't like that kind of sound. That's fine for them. They can have the other stuff.

I'd still be using the Scout if I had need of all that power for what I've been doing these last couple years, but I've downsized. The Scout was a downsize from my previous big GK 1000 watt setup.

Now I'm using the GK MB 150S. It's a great sounding little combo-but it's not a Mesa.

 

[Carebear]

Please be aware that lows, mids, and highs, are not inherently better or worse depending on the size of the driver. Iow, 15's are not "better" at lows, and 10's are not "better" at highs, 12's for mids, etc. The 12" Scout cab is full range, and will supply a fantastic range of tones. 2 12's is double awesome, etc. You may well be overthinking this whole thing. Most Walkabout users like the 12" Scout, because it provides a full range bass tone in a slightly smaller package, compared to the 15" version. I believe the 2 Walkabouts atop the 2 Scout ext cabs are all 12's, too.

I probably AM overthinking. But I don't want to end up in a situation where my rig is insufficient, even if I would run it at 50% most of the time (rehearsal).

But since we're talking two combos having the same wood but different dimensions and the same brand of speaker but different sizes, I think it's justified to ask what the two would give me and at what cost (just to make things clear what I meant, not to come off as arrogant).

If the 12 + extension will do gigs without a problem (ranging from medium pubs with PA support to medium pubs with no PA support), and compete with a drummer and 100W 4x12, I'm a happy camper.

But if the 15 + extension gives me NOTICABLY more output at the cost of being harder to transport (the extra depth of the box is what worries me, hello 60lbs combo!), it may just suit me better.

In the end, I'd like my rig to fit in the backseat and/or boot of a VW Golf or similar as that is what most people are driving and you never know in whos car you'll end up for the next rehearsal or gig.


EDIT: I just took measurements of my current combo (which is way too big for me to move around) and it has the same width and depth as the 15" Walkabout. So I guess that settles it. Phew!

 

[Widdershins]

Does anyone have a snap of walkabout guts handy?
Specifically, I'm interested in the transformer, and it's label.

thx!

Is this good enough?
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[Chef]

Yessir, thanks! I was curious if it was the same MPulse 600 unit thats in the MPulse 600 (hmmm!) and the M6 (Hmmmm!). It ain't!

 

[Chef]

You can hear Sadowsky RV5>Walkabout DI>to the console here:

http://www.viddler.com/explore/cattv/videos/42/